In a distributed control system with a plurality of nodes connected to a transmission line, each node controlling components and transmitting a message to other nodes, a message includes at least two message-sending condition-identifying portions, one of the portions including data indicating a message-receiving node or non-designation of a message-receiving node. A comparison-selection circuit in each node includes at least two registration parts for comparing contents of the condition-identifying portion in the taken-in message with the data of message-receiving conditions registered in the registration parts, a received-message storing part for storing a message to be received, a control part for determining whether or not the taken-in message is to be received based on a result of comparison-processing performed in the comparison and a selector transferring the taken-in message to the received-message storing part if it is determined that the taken-in message is to be received, otherwise, abandoning the taken-in message.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A distributed control system in which a plurality of nodes are connected to a transmission line, each node controlling components connected thereto, each node transmitting messages to each of the other nodes, and each node comprising: a. a control processing means including a calculation means for carrying out said controlling, said controlling including communication with other nodes and including: i. a comparison and selection means for selecting a message to be received from another message being transmitted on said transmission line; and ii. said control processing means coupled to said transmission line through said comparison and selection means; and b. a memory for storing programs that are processed by said calculation means, c. wherein each node sends messages including at least two message-sending condition-identifying portions, one of said condition-identifying portions including data indicating a message-receiving node or non-designation of a message-receiving node; d. wherein each node takes each of the messages transmitted on said transmission line by the other nodes, into its comparison and selection means; and determines whether or not each of said taken-in message is to be received in this node based on a correspondence between contents of said condition-identifying portions and data of message-receiving conditions registered in said comparison and selection means, and e. wherein said comparison-selection means in each of said nodes includes registration parts for registering data of message-receiving conditions, at least two registration parts for comparing contents of said condition-identifying portion in each of said taken-in messages with said data of message-receiving conditions registered in said registration parts, a received-message storing part for storing a message to be received in this node, a control part for determining whether or not each of said taken-in messages is to be received in this node based on a result of comparison-processing performed in said comparison and selection means and for transferring a taken-in message to said received-message storing part if it is determined that said taken-in message is received in this node, otherwise, abandoning said taken-in message.
2. A distributed,control system according to claim 1 , wherein said comparison-selection means in each of said nodes includes registration parts for registering a pair of each item of said data of message-receiving conditions and a flag indicating effective / non-effective for comparison-processing in a next comparison part, at least two registration parts for comparing contents of said condition-identifying portion in each of said taken-in messages with data of message-receiving conditions registered in said registration parts, a received-message storing part for storing a message to be received in this node, a control part for determining whether or not each of said taken-in messages is to be received in this node based on a result of comparison-processing performed in said comparison and selection means and a corresponding one of said flags indicating effective / non-effective for comparison-processing in a next comparison part, and, for each of said taken-in messages, transferring said taken-in message to said received-message storing part if it is determined that said taken-in message is to be received in this node, otherwise, abandoning said taken-in message.
3. A distributed control system according to claim 2 , wherein said control part includes a register for storing a position and a size of each condition-identifying portion in a message sent by each node.
4. A distributed control system according to claim 1 , wherein said comparison-selection means in each of said nodes includes registration parts for registering a pair of each item of said data of message-receiving conditions and a flag indicating effective / non-effective for comparison-processing in a next comparison part, at least two registration parts for comparing contents of said condition-identifying portion in each of said taken-in messages with data of message-receiving conditions registered in said registration parts, a received-message storing part for storing a message to be received in this node, a control part for determining whether or not each of said taken-in messages is to be received in this node based on a result of comparison-processing performed in said comparison and selection means and a corresponding one of said flags indicating effective / non-effective for comparison-processing in a next comparison part, and, for each of said taken-in messages, transferring said taken-in message to said received-message storing part if it is determined that said taken-in message is to be received in this node, otherwise, abandoning said taken-in message.
5. A distributed control system according to claim 4 , wherein said control part includes a register for storing a position and a size of each condition-identifying portion in a message sent by each node.
6. A distributed control system according to claim 1 , wherein said comparison and selection means includes registration parts for registering data of message-receiving conditions, at least two comparison parts for comparing contents of said condition-identifying portions in each of said taken-in messages with said data of message-receiving conditions registered in said registration parts, received-message storing parts of the same number as that of said comparison parts, for storing a message to be received in this node, a control part for determining whether each of said taken-in message is to be received in this node based a result of comparison and processing performed in said comparison and selection means, and for transferring each of said taken-in message to a corresponding one of said received-message storing parts if it is determined that said taken-in message is to be received in this node, otherwise, abandoning said taken-in message.
7. A distributed control system according to claim 6 , wherein said control part includes a register for storing a position and a size of each condition-identifying portion in a message sent by each node.
8. A distributed control system according to claim 1 , wherein messages sent by each node include predetermined address data in each condition-identifying portion; said comparison and selection means includes a message-storing part for storing messages taken-in from said transmission line, a registration part registering a plurality of flags, a flag being attached to each address, a received-message storing part for storing a message to be stored in this node, and a control part for determining whether or not said taken-in message is to be received in this node; and said control part determines whether or not each of said taken-in messages is to be received based on a flag attached to an address indicated by a content of each condition-identifying portion in each of said taken-in messages, and the control part further transfers taken-in messages to said received-message storing part.
9. A distributed control system according to claim 8 , wherein said control part includes a register for storing a position and a size of each condition-identifying portion in a message sent by each node.
10. A distributed control system according to claim 1 , wherein messages sent by each node includes predetermined address data and message-sending conditions in condition-identifying portions; said comparison and selection means includes a message storing part for storing messages taken-in from said transmission line, a first registration part registering a plurality of flags, a flag being attached to each address, a second registration part for registering data of message-receiving conditions, a comparison part for comparing contents of said condition-identifying portion with said data of message-receiving conditions, a received-message storing part for storing a message to be stored in this node, and a control part for determining whether or not each of said taken-in messages is to be received in this node; and said control part determines whether or not each of said taken-in messages is to be received based on a flag is attached to an address indicated by a content of each condition-identifying portion in each of said taken-in message and a result of said comparison performed in said comparison part, and the control part further transfers a taken-in message to said received-message storing part if it is determined that said taken-in message is to be received, otherwise, abandons this message.
11. A distributed control system according to claim 10 , wherein said control part includes a register for storing a position and a size of each condition-identifying portion in a message sent by each node.
12. A distributed control system in which a plurality of nodes are connected to a transmission line, each node controlling components connected thereto, each node transmitting messages to each of the other nodes, and each node comprising: a. a control processing means including a calculation means for carrying out said controlling, said controlling including communication with other nodes and including: i. a comparison and selection means for selecting a message to be received from another message being transmitted on said transmission line; and ii. said control processing means coupled to said transmission line through said comparison and selection means; and b. a memory for storing programs that are processed by said calculation means, c. wherein each node sends messages including at least two message-sending condition-identifying portions, one of said condition-identifying portions including data indicating a message-receiving node or non-designation of a message-receiving node; d. wherein each node takes each of the messages transmitted on said transmission line by the other nodes, into its comparison and selection means; and determines whether or not each of said taken-in message is to be received in this node based on a correspondence between contents of said condition-identifying portions and data of message-receiving conditions registered in said comparison and selection means, e. wherein said comparison and selection means includes a plurality of base filtering circuits, each base filtering circuit comparing for each of one of said taken-in messages, message-sending conditions set to a taken-in message from said transmission line with one of message-receiving conditions registered in advance and outputting said taken-in message if agreement is established in said comparison, and wherein said at least two base filtering circuits are serially connected to each other in each set composed of at least two base filtering circuits, and f. wherein said base filtering circuit includes an input-message storing part for including a message input from an external circuit, a registration part for registering message-receiving conditions, a comparison part for comparing a content of one of condition-identifying portions in said taken-in messages with said registered message-receiving conditions, a control part for determining whether or not each of said taken-in messages is to be received, in this node based on a result of said comparison, and an output-message storing part for storing a message to be received and for outputting said stored message to an external circuit.
13. A distributed control system according to claim 12 , wherein said control part includes a register for storing a position and a size of each condition-identifying portion in a message sent by each node.
14. A method of message transmission performed by each node in a distributed control system in which a plurality of nodes are connected to a transmission line, each node controlling components in this node and transmitting a message to each of the other nodes, said method comprising: sending a message from one of said nodes including at least two message-sending conditions by setting data indicating a message-receiving node or non-designation of a message-receiving node in one of said at least two condition-identifying portions; taking in a message from said transmission line in another of said nodes; and filtering said taken-in message in said other of said nodes, this step comprising the steps of: checking for a corresponding situation between contents of said condition-identifying portions and data of message-receiving conditions registered in this node; and determining whether or not said taken-in message is to be received in this node based on results of said checking, wherein the step of checking is comparing contents of said condition-identifying portions in said taken-in message with said data of message-receiving conditions registered in this node; the step of determining is performed by referring to a content of a corresponding one of flags, each flag indicating effective / non-effective of comparison-processing for each condition-identifying portion, which are registered in a flag setting part provided in this node in advance, and are set to said at least two condition-identifying portions, respectively; and if all results of comparison-processing for condition-identifying portions to which flags of effective are set indicate agreement, it is determined that said taken-in message is to be received in this node.
15. A method of message transmission performed by each node in a distributed control system according, to claim 14 , wherein the step of checking includes reading information set at a top position of said taken-in message, which indicates arrangement of said at least two condition-identifying portions in said taken-in message, and the step of checking is performed based on said:read information.
16. A method of message transmission performed by each node in a distributed control system according to claim 15 , wherein said information set at the top position of said taken-in message includes the number of condition-identifying portions, includes a position and a size of each condition-identifying portion.
17. A method of message transmission performed by each node in a distributed control system in which a plurality of nodes are connected to a transmission line each node controlling components in this node and transmitting a message to each of the other nodes, said method comprising: sending a message from one of said nodes including at least two message-sending conditions by setting data indicating message-receiving node or non-designation of a message-receiving node in one of said at least two condition-identifying portions; taking in a message from said transmission line in another of said nodes; and filtering said taken-in message in said other of said nodes, this step comprising the steps of: checking for a corresponding situation between contents of said condition-identifying portions and data of message-receiving conditions registered in this node; and determining whether or not said taken-in message is to be received in this node based on results of said checking, wherein the step of checking is comparing contents of said condition-identifying portions in said taken-in message with said data of message-receiving conditions registered in this node; the step of determining is performed based on results of comparison-processing for said at least two condition-identifying portions by referring to a content of a corresponding one of flags, each flag indicating effective / non-effective of comparison-processing for the next condition-identifying portion, which are registered in this node in advance, and are attached to said data of message-receiving conditions, respectively.
18. A method of message transmission performed by each node in a distributed control system according to claim 17 , wherein the step of checking includes reading information set at a top position of said taken-in message, which indicates arrangement of said at least two condition-identifying portions in said taken-in message, and the step of checking is performed based on said read information.
19. A method of message transmission performed by each node in a distributed control system in which a plurality of nodes, each having plural comparing parts, with each comparing part having a received-message storing part, with different condition data established in each respective comparing part, are connected to a transmission line, each node controlling components in this node and transmitting a message to each of the other nodes, said method comprising: sending a message from one of said nodes including at least two message-sending conditions by setting data indicating a message-receiving node or non-designation of a message-receiving node in one of said at least two condition-identifying portions; taking in a message from said transmission line in another of said nodes; and filtering said taken-in message in said other of said nodes, this step comprising: checking for a corresponding situation between contents of said condition-identifying portions and data of message-receiving conditions registered in this node by comparing the condition data of the comparing part and the condition identifying portion; determining whether or not said taken-in message is to be received in this node based on results of said comparing the condition data of the comparing part and the condition identifying portion and when they agree, storing the message in the corresponding received message storing part, wherein, in the step of comparing, after contents of said at least two condition-identifying portions in said taken-in message are compared with said data of message-receiving conditions, said message to be stored is stored in a corresponding one of the of received-message storing parts, each of said received-message storing parts being provided corresponding to each of said at least two condition-identifying portions.
20. A method of message transmission performed by each node in a distributed control system according to claim 19 , wherein the step of checking includes reading information set at a top position of said taken-in message, which indicates arrangement of said at least two condition-identifying portions in said taken-in message, and the step of checking is performed based on said read information.
21. A distributed control system in which a plurality of nodes are connected to a transmission line, each node controlling components connected to this node and transmitting a message to other nodes, wherein each node includes a plurality of comparison and selection parts, each comparison and selection part comparing one of message-sending condition-identifying portions provided in each message, which is allocated to this comparison and selection part, with message-receiving conditions stored in said comparison and selection part in advance; and a flag setting means for setting a flag indicating effective / non-effective for a result of comparison-processing performed by each comparison and selection part; wherein it is determined whether or not a message taken-in by this node is to be received in this node based on results of comparison and selection parts to which flags indicating effective are set.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 14, 1999
January 20, 2004
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